Identifying receiver and provider-related barriers and facilitators of social supportfor persons bereaved by suicide

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Nathalie Oexle
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452241355

This project contributes to suicide prevention by investigating why many persons bereaved by the suicide of a significant other (i.e. suicide loss survivors) do not receive adequate social support. Suicide loss survivors are at increased risk for mental health problems and suicide, and we previously demonstrated that social support is an important determinant of a healthy grieving process and likely to reduce suicide risk among this group. However, social support is reduced after suicide loss. In general, social support is a bi-directional process and requires support seeking and disclosure among the receiver (i.e. suicide loss survivors), as well as readiness to provide support and supportive behavior among potential supporters (e.g. friends, neighbors or co-workers of suicide loss survivors). To improve coping after suicide loss, it is therefore necessary to identify receiver and provider-related barriers and facilitators of social support for suicide loss survivors. Social stigma associated with suicide has been discussed to contribute to reduced social support after suicide loss; however empirical evidence is scarce and other barriers and facilitators remain unknown. This project has the overall goal to identify receiver and provider-related barriers and facilitators of social support for suicide loss survivors. To reach this goal, we will (i) qualitatively explore the factors that influence social support for suicide loss survivors, (ii) determine the factors that influence suicide loss survivors to seek support, and (iii) determine the factors that influence whether social support is provided to suicide loss survivors.Those aims will be accomplished using an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach within three subprojects. Following the guidelines of community-based participatory research, suicide loss survivors will be involved in the research process during all phases of the proposed projects. In subproject I, we will conduct qualitative interviews to explore the factors that influence social support for suicide loss survivors among 30 suicide loss survivors and 20 potential social support providers. Findings from subproject I will inform subsequent subprojects. In subproject II, we will conduct a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among suicide loss survivors to determine the factors that influence suicide loss survivors to seek support. Subproject III is a cross-sectional population-based online survey to determine the factors that influence whether social support is provided to suicide loss survivors.Interventions to ensure adequate social support after suicide loss are a crucial component of suicide postvention and contribute to suicide prevention. This project will generate knowledge needed for the development of such interventions that increase social support seeking among suicide loss survivors, as well as enhance readiness to provide support among potential support providers.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants